Creating an Inclusive Work Environment for Neurodiverse Employees with Tara Beaton

In this episode of the HR Mixtape podcast, host Shari Simpson interviews Tara Beaton, an expert in disability management and accessibility. Tara shares her personal journey with ADHD and how it has changed her perspective on disability management. She emphasizes the importance of incorporating neurodiversity into the workplace and highlights the superpowers that individuals with ADHD can bring, such as creativity, pattern recognition, and hyperfocus. Tara also debunks common misconceptions about neurodiverse individuals and discusses the need for employers to create a culture of accommodation and inclusivity.

Key Ideas:

1.  Disability management should include a focus on cognitive impairments and neurodiversity, just as it has addressed physical and sensory disabilities in the past.
2. Neurodiverse individuals, such as those with ADHD, possess unique strengths and abilities that can benefit the workplace, including creativity, proactivity, and lateral thinking.
3. Employers play a crucial role in fostering an environment where neurodiverse employees feel comfortable asking for accommodations. This requires creating a culture of inclusivity, questioning traditional norms, and being open to different ways of doing things.

After decades of helping people return to work following disability, Tara Beaton received her own diagnosis of ADHD. As she said, "It explained a lot. Plus, I always had a passion for accessibility. I just didn't realize it was personal." Now adding her own, first-person experience to her 25 years of disability management, HR and training expertise, Tara offers insights and guidance to professionals and leaders on best practices in inclusion, accessibility and accommodation for neurodiversity, disability, and mental health. She shares both evidence and practical know-how so that workplaces – and those they serve – can reap the benefits.